Method of and apparatus for feeding, compressing, stretching and transferring filaments



Dec. 8, 1964 D. K. VOYCE ETAL 3,160,181

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING, COMPRESSING, STRETCHING AND TRANSFERRING FILAMENTS 8 Sheets$heet 1 Filed March 27. 1961 UEL E.SWASEY ALD K.VOYCE INVENTORS M? ATTO NEY Dec. 8, 1964 D. K. VOYCE ETAL 3,160,181

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING, COMPRESSING, STRETCHING AND TRANSFERRING FILAMENTS Filed March 27. 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 SAMUEL, E. SWASEY DONALD K. VOYCE INVENTORS ATTORNEY K. VOYCE ETAL 3,160,181

FOR FEEDING, COMPRESSING, STRETCHING NSFERRING FILAMENTS Dec. 8, 1964 D.

METHOD OF AND AP A ATUS 0 TBA 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 27, 1961 SAMUEL E. SWASEY DONALD K. VQYCE INVENTORS a g, ATTORNEY Dec. 8, 1964 D. K. VOYCE ETAL 3,160,181

a, STRETCHING METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING, COMPRESSIN AND TRANSFERRING FILAMEZNTS 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 27, 1961 NQT 1 SAMUEL E. SWASEY DONALD K.VOYCE INVENTORS NEY ATTO

Dec. 8, 1964 METHOD OF AND APPAR Filed March 27. 1961 D. K. VOYCE AL 3,160,181 ATUS F OR FEEDIN COMPRESSING, STRETCHING AND TRANSFERRING FILAMENTS 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 SAMUEL E. SWASEY B I m? ATTORNEY Dec. 8, 1964 D. K. VOYCE ETAL ,160, 81

METHOD 0? AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING, COMPRESSING, STRETCHING AND TRANSFERRING FILAMENTS Filed March 27. 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 SAMUEL ,E. SWASEY fiWEIQIWQE BY 4 5% ATTORNEY Dec. 8, 1964 D. K. VOYCE ETAL 3,160,181

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING, COMPRESSING, STRETCHING AND TRANSFERRING FILAMENTS Filed March 27, 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 no I06 4 11] I 92 1 70 48 SAMUEL .E. SWASEY DONALD K. VOYCE INVENTORS ATTORNEY 1964 D. K. VOYCE ETAL 3,160,181

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING, COMPRESSING, STRETCHING AND TRANSFERRING FILAMEINTS Filed March 27, 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 ATTORN EY United States Patent METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEEING,

(IOMPRESfilNG, STRETOIHNG AND TRANS- FERRWG FELAMENTS Donald K. Voyce, Somerville, Samuel E. Swasey,

Marblehead, Mass, assignorsto Sylvania Electric Products Inc, a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 27, 196i, Ser. No. 98,338 7 Claims. (Cl. Mil- 71.5)

This invention relates to the manufacture of electric lamps and more particularly to the preparation of lamp filaments for the assembly thereof with support wires in the fabrication of lamp mounts.

In the manufacture of an electric lamp, a filament is supported by two or more support wires, usually including two lead-in wires. Supporting of the filament is usually effected by either welding or clamping the support wires to the ends of the filament. In the latter case, the support wires are usually provided with hooked ends, the

filament is positioned with the ends thereof extending of effective electrical length of the filament is a function of the over-all length of the wire itself, the t.p.i. (turns per inch) of the primary coiling and, in the case of coiled coils, the t.p.i. of the secondary coiling.

In the fabrication of these lamp filaments, a very high degree of uniformity can be and is attained when the individual'filaments are shaped and cut on a coiling machine. However, subsequent manufacturing operations on this article of work, before the filament is presented to the lead-in wires on which it is to mounted, tend to affect this uniformity adversely. In these subsequent operations,

the mandrel on which the coiled filament was wound is removed, the filament is heat-treated and finally placed in an article-orienting apparatus from which it is fed to an article transfer apparatus which presents the filament to the lead-in wires. Removal of the mandrel and heattreating of the filament are batch operations, i.e., these operations are performed on a large number of filamentsrandomly disposed in a suitable vessel. Similarly, a large batch of filaments are dumped into an article orienting apparatus which effects disentanglement of the filaments from one another and guides them one at a time to discharge point. Since the spring-back characteristic of these filaments can vary even within any given batch, it will be readily understood and appreciated that there are bound to'be substantial variations from filament to filament even within a given batch of filaments as a result of these manufacturing operations performed on the work.

Various devices and techniques have been used in the industry in an effort to attain the acknowledgedly desirable goal of a high degree of uniformity. One of these efforts involved the application of an end-on force simultaneously to each end of the filament just before its transfer to the lead-in wires to effect a sort of compression of the coiled filament. While this technique was not without merit, it still left much to be desired because of the tendency of the coiled filaments to elongate various amounts as soon as this compressing force was removed. Another technique involved adjusting the lead tip spacing, i.e., the distance between the ends of the lead-in wires to which the filament is to be attached. This is a rather "ice impractical appoach to-the problem, particularly in high speed manufacturing operations, when it is realized that substantial variations can be encountered among the coiled filaments of any given batch of filaments.

In view of the foregoing, one of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a method of attaining a high degree of uniformity of coiled filaments as they are fed to the wires which are to support them in the manufacture of lamp mounts.

Another object of this invention is to provide an a paratus for attaining a high degree of uniformity of coiled filaments as they are fed to the wires which are to support them in the manufacture of lamp mounts.

A further object is to provide an apparatus of the type just mentioned which is readily adaptable and useable in high speed manufacturing operations.

One of the features of this invention is its adaptation and use in the manufacture of vertical filament lamps,

i.e., lamps in which the longitudinal axis of the coiled'filament is substantially parallel to the-longitudinal axis of the lamp envelope.

These and other objects, advantages and features are attained in accordance with the principles of our invention by feeding filaments one at a time to a nest, compressing the filaments, grasping the filament ends, stretching the filaments and then presenting the filaments, while positively maintaining them in the stretched state, to the wires of the lamp stems which are to support them. More particularly, after each filament has been fed to thenest, an end-on force is applied to oneof the legs of the filament, thus displacing the filament longitudinally within the nest until the other leg thereof abuts a fixed bearing vsurface. Application of this end-on force to one of the legs of the filament is continued to thereby effect compression of the filament within the nest. During this filament compressing operation suitable means are employed to contain the filament within the nest and prevent it from being dislodged therefrom. The length of the'stroke of the member through which this end-on force is applied is pro-determined. At the end of the stroke, the distance between this member and-the aforesaid fixed bearing surface is predetermined and uniform, regardless of variations in the overall length of filaments fed to the nest. Thus filaments will be compressed varying amounts but the overall length of all filaments after compression will be the same. After the filaments have been so compressed, the legs thereof are securely held and the filaments stretched a uniform, pre-determined amount. While positively maintaining the'filaments in this stretched state, the filaments are transferred and presented to the filament support wires of lamp stems and are secured thereto. Thereafter, the positive force applied to maintain the filaments in the stretched state during transfer is then released.

In the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below, FIG- URE 1 is a plan view 'of a filament feeding, compressing,

stretching and transfer apparatus.

FIGURE 2 is aplan view, similar 'toFIGURE 1, only on an enlarged scale.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the filament compressing, stretching and transfer apparatus of FIG- URES 1 and 2, showing particularly the drive means for effecting the filament transfer and the drive means for effecting filament compression. In this view, the filament transfer assembly is illustrated in phantom at an intermediate transfer position, i.e., about half way between the horizontal and the vertical.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view on an enlarged scale of aportion of the apparatus of FIGURE 3, looking in the direction 44 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is an end elevational view of the apparatus ing the filament feeding operation and the means employed to open and close the jaws which constrain the filament in its nest during compression thereof and which frictionally engage the filament to effect stretching thereof.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary detail of the nest in which the filament is disposed during compression and stretching.

FIGURE 8 is a front elevational view of the nest assembly looking in the direction 8-3 of FIGURE 6,

showing particularly the means employed to effect compression of the filament disposed in the nest.

FIGURES 9-13 are fragmentary details in side eleva- [ion showing sequentially the state of the work during the filament compressing and stretching operations.

FIGURE 14 is a cam chart illustrating the operating cycles of the filament compression cam, the jaw operating :am and the filament transfer cam, and their relationships to one another.

General Organization Referring now to the drawings, particularly FIGURES [-4 thereof, the specific embodiment of the apparatus of :his invention is illustrated as associated with an autonatic lamp stem fabricating apparatus of the type dis- :losed in US. Patent 2,637,144 which issued May 5, 1953 :o R. M. Gardner et a1. As described in that patent, the ;EV6IEI1 components which comprise the lamp stem are ed sequentially to work holdersattached to conveyor :hains of the machine. These conveyor chains index the work holders to a plurality of stations at which certain )perations are performed on the work components to :ventually provide a unitary structure usually identified n the art as a lamp stem. The apparatus of thisinvenion, which includes an article transfer means, is located it one end of the substantially rectangular chassis of the iatented apparatus. The curved path through which a :ornpleted lamp stem is carried by the work holders on me of the conveyor, chains as it moves around this end if the chassis is illustrated by the broken line 1 in FIG- JRE 1. A completed lamp stem 3 is illustrated in phanom in FIGURE 1 at the filament mounting station. the primary structural supporting member for the aparatus of this invention is a bifurcated support bracket lfiattached to the chassis (FIG. 3) of the lamp stem 'abricating apparatus beneath the curved path 1 (FIG. 1) hrough which the lamp stem 3 is caused to move. The rimary base member for many of the structural comaonents of the apparatus of this invention is a casting 12, lereinafter referred to as the mounting bracket 32. The mounting bracket 12 is provided with a sleeve 12a fixedly tttached to a transfer shaft 14 which extends therehrough and which is supported in the bifurcated'support racket'16. One end of a lever 16 is fixedly mounted on he transfer shaft 14. The lever 16 is connected by a :onnecting rod 18 to a rocker arm (FIG. 3) on rocker .rm shaft 22. The rocker arm shaft 22 supports a cam ollower 24 which rides on transfer cam 26 on transfer am shaft 2s. Thus counter-clockwise rotation of lever .6 causes mounting bracket 12, pivoting about transfer haft 14, and all-the structural components which it supuorts, to be displaced counter-clockwise from a substanially horizontal plane to a substantially vertical plane .nd present a filament '7 to the lamp stem 3.

The other major components associated with the'foregoing filament transfer assembly are a filament feeding lnit and a filament orienting unit, both of which are disposed adjacent to and in cooperating relationship with thereof overhanging the nest.

respect to the filament transfer assembly and its associated parts. A supply of filaments 7 are located in a bowl 30 (FIG. 1) of a commercially available articlefeeding device of the vibratory type. The bowl 30 is provided with a spiral runway 32 along which the filaments are caused to advance and eventually enter a filament feeding trough 3 extending tangentially from the bowl. An air jet 36 facilitates discharge of the filaments one at a time from the trough 34 into a filament feeding chute 38 attached to the end of trough 34.

Filament Feeding and orienting Apparatus The filament feeding and orienting apparatus will now be described, reference being made to FIGURES 1, 2, 6, 7 and 8. of the drawings. Referring particularly to FIG- URES 2 and 6, the filaments, as they fall into the chute 33, aredeflected by a baffle 4d disposed therein, roll out of the chute and into a pocket 41. The pocket 41 is defined by the top beveled surfaces of a reserve filament slide 42 and a filament feeding slide 44 disposed between a stationary back plate 46 and a stationary filament guide 48. The slides 42 and 44 are reciprocative, as shown and described in detail in US. Patent 2,760,679 to J. I. Chadderton et al., to advance a filament disposed on the top beveled surface of filament feeding slide 44 to the top of filament guide 48, to hold in reserve a filament on the top beveled surface ,of reserve filament slide 42, and to dislodge excess filaments disposed in pocket 41 onto a filament return chute 5f) which returns excess filaments to bowl 3 3) (FIG. 1).

As shown particularly in FIGURES 2, 6 and 8, a pair of side plates 52 and 5d are attached to the filament guide 48 and, in combination therewith, define a channel for containing the filament during the filament feeding operation. A front plate 56, attached to filament guide 48, has a beveled face which, in cooperation with the beveled face of filament guided8, defines a nest 51 (FIGS. 2 and 7) for receiving a filament. As shownin FIGURE 8, the major portion of a filament is disposed in this nest with the legs of the filament and a few turns at each end Referring back again to FIGURES 6 and 8, a bracket 58, having a pair of bosses 66 and 62 formed integral therewith, is mounted on a face of filament guide 48. A rod 64 is reciprocatively disposed in the bosses 6d and 62. A roller 66, supported at one end of rod 64, is in frictional engagement with a bar cam 68. A finger 7t is pinned to rod 64. A compression spring 72 is disposed on rod 64 between boss 60 and a collar '74. Thus the forward stroke of rod 64 and the. finger 76) attached thereto is effected by the bar cam 68 whereas the return stroke thereof is effected by the spring 72. On the forward stroke, the free end of finger 7d engages the adjacent leg of the filament disposed in the nest 51 (FIGS. 2 and 8) and effects a compression thereof, the other leg of the-filament abutting a side of filament guide 48. The nature and purpose of this operation of compressing the filament will be described more in detail below in connection with the description of the operation of the apparatus of this invention.

Filament Stretching and Transfer Apparatus The filament tretching and transfer apparatus will now be described, reference being made initially to FIGURES l-4 6. As described above in the section entitled General Organization, the base member of this apparatus is a mounting bracket 12, the sleeve 12a of which is fixedly attached to transfer shaft 14 supported in the bifurcated support bracket llfi. A channel-shaped slide housing 36 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 6) is attached to the inside face of mounting bracket 12. Apair of gibs 82 and 84 are attached to the slide housing 84? and partially overlie the channel thereof. A stationary jaw holder 86 is fixedly attached to and supported in slide housing 86 near one end thereof and a movable jaw holder 38 is supported by and slidable within the slide'housing 89 near the other thereto.

3 end thereof. The free end of each of these jaw holders 86 and 88 has one end of a jaw 99 and 92 respectively attached thereto and extending toward one another. The other end of each of these jaws 90 and 92 is shaped to define a nest to receive the legs of a filament as shown particularly in FIGURES 1-4, the major portion of the filament resting in nest 51 as described above in connec tion with FIGURES 4-6.

Each of the legs of the jaw holders 86 and 38 which extends laterally from the slide housing 81 in which they are supported is provided with an aperture therein aligned with one another. A jaw operating shaft 94 extends through these apertures and is rotatably supported in these jaw holders 86 and 83. A jaw holder 96 and a jaw holder 93 are disposed on the jaw operating shaft 94 intermediate the ends thereof and between the aforesaid laterally extending portions of jawholders 86"and 88. The jaw operating shaft 94 is free to reciprocate Within the jaw holder 96 within the limits defined by an elongated slot 1% cut in a side face of the jaw holder 96 and a pin 162 projecting from the shaft 94 and into the slot 10% (PEG. 4). On the other hand, rotation of the shaft 94 is transmitted to the jaw holder 96 by this pin-slot arrangement. The jaw holder 98 is fixedly attached to the jaw operating shaft 94. A jaw 1&4 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 4) is attached to the jaw holder 96 and the tip thereof overlies a filament disposed in nest 51 (FIGS. 7 and 8) near one end thereof. A jaw 1% is attached to jaw holder 98 and the tip thereof overlies the filament near the other end thereof. Each of the jaws 194 and 196 is provided with a relatively stiff projecting wire 168 and 11d respectively (FIGS. 2, 7

and 8) which overlies a leg of the filament.

As pointed out above, the base member of this filament stretching and transfer apparatus is a mounting bracket 12'from which the foregoing mechanisms are supported directly or indirectly. In addition thereto, the mechanism for moving the jaws 164 and 1% and the wires 1% and 110 projecting therefrom into and out of frictional engagement with the filament is also supported from this mounting bracket 12. The mounting bracket 12 (FIGS. 3 and 4) 'is provided with a pair of spaced bosses 12b and 12c-within which a jaw rotating shaft 112 is rotatably supported. A pair of levers 114 and 116 are fixedly mounted on the jawrotating shaft 112, spaced from one another and disposed-between the bosses 12b and 120. The free'end of lever 114 frictionally engages the depending leg of jaw holder -96 on jaw operating shaft 94 (FIGS. 4 and 6). The freeend of lever 116 frictionally engages the depending leg of jaw holder 98 on jaw operating shaft 94 (FlGSs4 and Oneend of jaw rotating shaft 112 is provided with a roller support 118 (FIGS. 4, 5 end 6) fixedly attached A roller 126, supported by the roller support 113 rides onbar cam-122 which is reciprocative within bar camhousing 12(15811 integral part of mounting bracket 12. The outer end of bar cam housing 12d, a viewed in FEGURE 6, is provided with an anti-rotation pad 126 within which a spring-loaded friction plug 124 is dis- This arrangement prevents accidental and undesirable rotational and longitudinal slippage of the bar cam 122 within its housing.

'Drive Mechanisms The'primary drive means for actuating the several operating assemblies described above will now be described.

It will be recalled'that the drive mechanism for displacing the mounting bracket 12 and the many components supportedtherefrom 'from'the horizontal to the vertical as 142 on cam shaft 144.

The forward movement or" the reciprocation of jaw operating shaft 94 is effected by an adjustable contact screw 128 which abuts an end thereof. Screw 128 is mounted in one end of a bellcrank lever 13% pivotally mounted intermediate its ends at 132. A connecting rod 134 connects the other end of lever 13% to one end of a rocker arm 136. T he rocker arm 136 is fixedly mounted intermediate its ends on a rocker arm shaft 138 and the other end of the rocker arm 136 is provided with a cam follower 140. Cam follower 141i rides on filament compression cam The contour of cam 142 is such that the bellcrank lever 13% is rotated counter-clockwise about its pivot 13?; to advance the jaw operating shaft 94. The return portion of the reciprocating stroke of the jaw operating shaft 94 is effected by a compression spring 146 (FZGS. 1 and 2). The compression spring 146 is supported between a pair of studs 148 and 150. The stud 143 is mounted on the'tail portion 12e of mounting bracket 12. The stud 159 extends through elongated apertures provided therefor in mounting bracket 12 and slide housing 8t? and is fixedly mounted in a leg of movable jaw holder 88. Thus, during the forward troke of jaw operating shaft 94, the spring 146 is extended since its supporting stud 154i is mounted on the jaw holder 88 which is fixedly mounted on the shaft 94, and the return stroke is effected by this spring so extended.

Reciprocation of the jaw operating shaft 94 by the mechanism just described is effected in order to compress a filament disposed in nest 51 (FIGS. 7 and 8). Dur ing the forward stroke of the shaft 94, the bar cam'68, attached to and depending from movable jaw holder 88, displaces the rod 64 to the right as viewed in FIGURE 8. Since the finger 749 is fixedly mounted on the rod 64, the finger '79 is similarly displaced, moving from the position shown in solid line to the position shown by the fragmentary phantom lines in FIGURE 6. During this displacement movement, the finger 71B engages the adjacent leg of the filament and applies an end-on force thereto and thus compresses the filament disposed in the nest 51. During the return stroke of the jaw operating shaft 94, the bar cam 68 i returned to its rest position and thus permits the compression spring 72 (FIG. 8) to return the rod 64 to its rest position.

The means employed to effect rotation of jaw rotating shaft 112 will now be described. At the outset, it should be noted that the purpose of this arrangement is to move the jaws 104 and 106 and the wires 1&8 and'llii associated therewith into and out of frictional engagement with a filament disposed in nest 51 to stretch it a pre-determined amount after it has been compressed by the mechanism just described. As noted above, a'roller support 118 isfixedly mounted on an end of the shaft 112 (FIG. 2) and it supports the roller 121B (FIGS. 4, 5 and 6) which rides on the camming surface of bar cam 122. Re-

-fe'rring-now primarily t-o FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, one end of a jaw closing bar 152 abuts the end of bar cam 122. The jaw closing bar 152 is fixedlymounted'atits other end on a push rod 154 intermediate the ends thereof. The

jaw closing bar 152 is provided intermediate its ends with an aperture therein through which-a guide bar 156 extends. The guidebar 156 is supported in a bracket158 attached to the chassis 5 of the lamp stem fabricating apparatus. The bracket 158 also supports the push rod 154 which is slidable therein. One end of a jaw opening bar 161 is attached to one end of the push rod 154. The other end of push rod 154 is connected, through a pin 162 disposed therein, to one end of a bellcrank lever 164 pivotally mounted intermediate its ends at 166 in a lateral extension of bracket 158. The other end of bellcrank lever 164 is connected by connecting rod 168 to one end of a rocker arm 171) mounted intermediate its ends on rocker arm shaft 172. The other end of rocker arm 1% is provided with a cam follower 174 which rides on. jaw operating cam 176 on jaw operating cam shaft 17 3.

The foregoing mechanism provides the means for open *1? ing and closing jaws 1M and 1% and their associated wires MP8 and Mil (FIGS. 1 and 2) with respect to a filament disposed in nest 51. (FIGS. 1, 2 and 7). The jaws 1&4 and 1% are closed after a filament has been located in the nest 51 and while the mounting bracket 12 and'its associated parts are in the horizontal position as shown in FIGURE 3. The jaws N4- and res are opened after the mounting bracket 12. has been swung to the vertical position, presented the filament carried thereby to a lamp stem 3, and the legs of the filament have been secured to the lamp stem. The jaws M4 and me and their associated wires toe and 110 are shown in the closed position in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7, having been advanced to that position by the clockwise rotation of bellcrank lever 164 (FIG. 5). This clockwise rotation of bellcrank lever 1'34 displaces push rod 154 and jaw closing bar team the right and thus displaces bar cam 122 to the right. This lateral displacement to the right of bar cam 122 is translated into clockwise rotation of jaw rotating shaft 112 (FIGS. 5 and 6) and levers 114 and 116 mounted thereon. This displacement of levers 114 and 116 to the position thereof shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 permits the jaw operating shaft 94 to rotate counter-clockwise and the depending portions of jaw'holders as and 98 to follow their respective levers 114 and 116. Counter-clockwise rotation of jaw operating shaft 94 as viewed in FIGURES 5 and 6 is effected by compression spring 18%) (FIGS.

2 and 4), one end of which is supported by a spring anchor 182 attached to and depending from the jaw operating shaft 94, the other end thereof being supported by a stud 183 depending from the tail portion 12c of the mounting bracket 12. Countenciockwise rotation of jaw operating shaft 94 effects counter-clockwise rotation of jaw holder 96 which is fixedly mounted thereon and jaw holder 5 8 which is connected thereto by the pin lil2-slot ltltl arrangement described above. This counter-clockwise movement of the jaw holder 96 and 98 moves the jaws 104 and'lfifi respectively and their respective wires res and 110 into engagement with the filament.

Opening of the jaws 1G4 and 1&6, as noted above, is effected when the mounting bracket 12 has been displaced to the substantially vertical position and the filament carried thereby has been presented to a lamp stem 3. When the mounting bracket is so disposed, the outer end of bar cam 122 which is disposed in mounting bracket 12 will be substantially normal to the jaw opening bar tea which, as will be noted in FIGURES 3 and 4, is angularly disposed. Counter-clockwise rotation of bellcrank lever 1&4 (FEG. 5) will draw the jaw opening bar 166) to the left as viewed in FIGURE 5, and efiect a displacement to the left of the bar cam 122. As the bar earn 122 moves to the left, it causes counter-clockwise rotation of jaw rotating shaft :12 (FIGS. 5 and 6), counterclockwise rotation of levers 114 and 116 thereon, clockwise deflection of the depending portions of jaw holders 96 and 9%, clockwise rotation of jaw operating shaft @4 and opening of the jaws 164 and 105 and their respective wires M28 and lit! with respect to the filament. This clockwise rotation of jaw operating shaft 94- stretches compression spring 18% (FIGS. 2 and 4) and thus provides the spring driving means for closing these jaws as described above. I

Operating Cycle 7 An operating cycle of the apparatus of our invention will now be described, with particular reference being made primarily to FIGURES 913 in which the state of the work at various points in the operating cycle is illustrated, and to FEGURE 14 in which the cams which actuate the apparatus componentsare illustrated.

As described above and as illustrated particularly in FIGURES 1 and 6-8, filaments '7 are fed one at a time from the bowl S-tl, through thefilament feeding finger 34 and to the filament feeding chute 38. From the chute 38 the filaments fall'into pocket 4 (FIG. 6). The coing of one filament at a time to the filament guide 48 which (FIGS. 68) in combination with front plate 56, defines a nest 51 for the filament. This filament nest 51 is schematically illustrated by the phantom line 51a in FIGS. 9l3.

A filament '7 is fed to the nest 51 as just described and is caused to arrive thereat at about 300 in terms of the cam chart of FIGURE 14. At this point of time, the mounting bracket 12 (FIGS. 3 and 4) and its associated parts are disposed in the fully down or horizontal position, and the jaws I64 and 166 and their associated wires 1598 and 110 are in the open position. The disposition of the filament at this point of time is illustrated in FIG- URE 9 wherein it will be noted that the filament is in the nest Sla with the legs thereof extending through and .tpported by the notched ends of jaws as and 92.

At about 315 and continuing to about 340, the jaw operating cam 176 effects a partial closing of the jaws 1434 and 106 and their associated wires 168 and llt) to contain the filament within its nest and yet not actually come into contact with it as shown in FIGURE 10.

With the jaws 1G4 and 196 and their associated wires 1% and 11%) so disposed, the filament compression cam 142 elfects a lateral displacement or" finger 70 as shown in FEGURE 11 to effect compression of the filament. It will be noted in this figure that, although the filament buckles slightly during compression, the jaws 194 and 106 contain the filament within the nest. This compression of the filament occurs from about 340 to about 355".

With the filament now compressed at about 355, the jaw operating cam 176 effects further advancement of the jaws 184 and 1% and their associated wires 1&8 and ill from the partially closed position as shown in FIGURE 11 to the fully closed position as shown in FIGURE 12. This occurs from about 355 to 10. In their fully closed position, the jaws 104 and 166 further contain the filament but do not prevent longitudinal displacement thereof. 0n the other hand, the wires 108 and rest position, the compression spring 146 (FIG. 2) on which a load was placed during the compression stroke,

operating reciprocating slides 42 and 44 cause the feedtherefrom from the horizontal to the vertical.

effects a return of the several components connected thereto, including the movable jaw holder 38 (FIGS. 2 and 4) on which spring-supporting pin 15% is mounted, jaw 92. mounted on jaw holder 88, shaft 94 011 which movable jaw holder 3?; is mounted, and bar cam 68 attached to and depending from jaw holder 88. As the bar cam 68 backs off under the influence of spring 146, the compression spring 72 (FIG. 8) displaces the finger '70 laterally to the left from the position thereof shown in phantom to the position thereof shown in full lines. Thus, through the foregoing mechanisms, the finger 70,

' the jaw 92, the jaw res and the wire 11% are all disgagement with a leg of the filament being the immediate member which operates to effect the actual stretching.

With the filament now fully stretched at about 35 and the filament constrained by jaws 104 and 106 and firmly secured by wires MP8 and 116 as shown in FIG- URE 13, the transfer cam 26 initiates the transfer operation to present the stretched filament to a lamp stem 3 (FIG. 3).' During the period from about 35 to about the transfer cam 26 moves the mounting bracket 12 and the several assemblies mounted on and supported At about 155 the filament '7 has been presented to the lamp stem with the legs of the filament disposed Within open hooks provided therefor inthe filament support or'lead-in wires of the lamp stem. With the' filament so disposed, suitable conventional means not shown are employed to close hooks about the filament to thereby secure the filament to the lamp stem.

After thefilament has been clamped, the jaws 104 and 106 and their respective wires 108 and 110 are opened. Opening of these members is effected by jaw operating cam 176 between about 205 to about 230.

At about 225 the jaws 104 and 106 and their associated wires 108'and 110 have been displaced sufficiently from the clamped filament to permit the transfer cam 26 to initiatethe "return of the mounting bracket 12 and the several assemblies mounted thereon or supported therefrom from the vertical or filament delivery position to the horizontal or filament receiving position. This return occurs between about 225 to about 285.

Just before the foregoing assembly reaches its rest or horizontal position, i.e., starting at about 280, the filament compression cam 142 effects a partial advancement of bar cam 68 (FIG. 8) and in turn a partial advancement of finger 70. This occurs from about 280 to about 295 and is intended primarily to shorten somewhat the length of the nest 51 into which another filament will be introduced at about 300, thus precluding excessive variations in lateral displacement of the filament as it falls into the nest. The relative location of the finger 70 with respect to a filament as it falls into the nest is illustrated in FIGURE 9. The apparatus is now ready for the beginning of another operating cycle.

What we claim is:

1. The method of preparing coiled filaments of various over-all lengths for assembly with support wires therefor in the manufacture of electric lamps and the like, said method comprising: positioning one of said coiled filaments in a nest; constraining said coiled filament while disposed in said nest; compressing said constrained coiled filament to a uniform, predetermined, over-all length; stretching said constrained, compressed coiled filament to a uniform, pre-determined, over-all length; and presenting said stretched coiled filament to said support wires while maintaining said filament in said stretched state.

2. The method of preparing coiled filaments of various over-all lengths for assembly with support wires therefor in the manufacture of electric lamps and the like, each of said filaments having a leg projecting from each end thereof and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof, said method comprising: positioning one of said coiled filaments in a nest; constraining said coiled filament while disposed in said nest; applying an end-on force to one leg of said filament, while maintaining the other leg thereof fixed, sufficient to effect compression of said coiled filament to a uniform, pre-determined, overall length; gripping the legs of said compressed coiled filament; stretching said compressed coiled filament to a uniform, pre-determined, over-all length; and presenting said stretched coiled filament to said support wires while maintaining said filament in said stretched state.

3. Apparatus for preparing a coiled filament for assembly with support wires therefor in the manufacture of electric lamps and the like, said coiled filament having a leg projecting from each end thereof and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof, said apparatus comprising: a nest; means for feeding a filament to said nest; means for compressing said filament in said nest so that the over-all length of said filament is a pre-determined value; means for gripping the legs of said filament; means for effecting relative displacement of said leg-gripping means away from one another a pre-determined distance so that the filament held therebetween is stretched to provide a filament the over-all length of which is a pre-determined value; and means for presenting said stretched filament to said support wires while maintaining said leg-gripping means in gripping engagement with the legs of said filament.

4. Apparatus for preparing a "coiled filament for as,-

sembly with 'supportwires'therefm in the manufacture of electric'lamps and thelike, said coiled filament having a 'leg projecting from each end thereof and substantially Sparallel to the longitudinal axis thereof, said apparatus comprising: anest openat one end and having a wall defining a: closed other end; means for feeding a filament to sai'cl'nest; means forapplying an end-on force to the leg of said filament disposed adjacent to the said open end of-said nest-to displacesaid' filament longitudinally a distance sufiicient to advance'the other legof said filament intofrictional engagement with said wall and to eifecta compression of 'said filament in said nest so that the over-all length of said filament is a-p'redetermined' value; means for gripping the legs of said filament; means for effecting relative displacement of said leg-gripping means away from one another a pre-determined distance so that the filament held therebetween is stretched to provide a filament the over-all length of which is a pre-determined value; and means for presenting said stretched filament to said support wires while maintaining said leggripping means in gripping engagement with the legs of said filament.

5. Apparatus for preparing a coiled filament for assembly with support wires therefor in the manufacture of electric lamps and the like, said coiled filament having a leg projecting from each end thereof and substantially parallel to the longtiudinal axis thereof, said apparatus comprising: a nest defining a seat for the main body of a filament; a pair of supporting jaws disposed astride said nest; means for feeding a filament to effect disposition of the said main body thereof in said nest and the said legs thereof across said pair of supporting jaws; means for compressing said filament in said nest so that the over-all length of said filament is a pre-determined value; means for gripping the legs of said filament disposed in said pair of supporting jaws; means for elfecting relative displacement of said leg-gripping means away from one another a pre-determined distance so that the filament held therebetween is stretched to provide a filament the over all length of which is a pre-determined value; and means for presenting said stretched filament to said support wires while maintaining said leg-gripping means in gripping engagement with the legs of said filament.

6. Apparatus for preparing a coiled filament for assembly with support wires therefor in the manufacture of electric lamps and the like, said coiled filament having a leg projecting from each end thereof and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof, said apparatus comprising: a nest open at one end and having a wall defining a closed other end, said nest defining a seat for the main body of a filament; a pair of supporting jaws disposed astride said nest; means for feeding a filament to effect disposition of the said main body thereof in said nest and the said legs thereof across said pair of supporting jaws; means for applying an end-on force to the leg of said filament disposed adjacent to the said open end of said nest to displace said filament longitudinally a distance suflicient to advance the other leg of said filament into frictional engagement with said wall and to effect a compression of said filament in said nest so that the over-all length of said filament is a pre-determined value; means for gripping the legs of said filament disposed in said pair of supporting jaws; means for effecting relative displacement of said leg-gripping means away from one another a pre-determined distance so that the filament held therebetween is stretched to provide a filament the overall length of which is a pre-determined value; and means for presenting said stretched filament to said support wires while maintaining said leg-gripping means in gripping engagement with the legs of said filament.

7. Apparatus for preparing a coiled filament for assembly with support wires therefor in the manufacture of electric lamps and the like, said coiled filament having a leg projecting from each end thereof and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof, said apparatus comprising: a nest; means for feeding a filament to said nest; means for compressing said filament in said nest so that the over-all length of said filament is a pre-determined value; means for gripping the legs of said filament; means for effecting relative displacement of said leg-gripping means away from one another a pre-determined distance so that the filament held therebetween is stretched to provide a filament the over-all length of which is a pre-determined value; means for constraining said fila-- While maintaining said leg-gripping means in gripping engagement with the legs of said filament.

, References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,726,480 8/29 Fehse 140-715 1,830,222 11/31 Brindle 14071.5 XR 2,927,679 3/60 Rively.

2,984,266 5/61 Lohrey et al. 14071.6 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD A. WAHL, WILLIAM F. PURDY,

Examiners. 

1. THE METHOD OF PREPARING COILED FILAMENTS OF VARIOUS OVER-ALL LENGTHS FOR ASSEMBLY WITH SUPPORT WIRES THEREFOR IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ELECTRIC LAMPS AND THE LIKE, SAID METHOD COMPRISING: POSITIONING ONE OF SAID COILED FILAMENTS IN A NEST; CONSTRAINING SAID COILED FILAMENT WHILE DISPOSED IN SAID NEST; COMPRESSING SAID CONSTRAINED COILED FILAMENT TO A UNIFORM, PRE-DETERMINED, OVER-ALL LENGTH; STRETCHING SAID CONSTRAINED, COMPRESSED COILED FILAMENT TO A UNIFORM, PRE-DETERMINED, OVER-ALL LENGTH; AND PRESENTING SAID STRETCHED COILED FILAMENT TO SAID SUPPORT WIRES WHILE MAINTAINING SAID FILAMENT IN SAID STRETCHED STATE. 